The City Council Committee on Rules, Privileges, Elections, Standards, and Ethics today confirmed the appointment of transit enthusiast Midori Valdivia as Commissioner of the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC).
“I look forward to leading a TLC that proactively protects its driver, improves safety and accessibility for passengers, and works in harmony with the larger transportation ecosystem to ensure that the mobility needs all of our communities are equally met,” – Commissioner Valdivia whose official TLC start date is April 13.
Earlier on Jan 13, NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani nominated her as the next TLC chair.
“Valdivia is no stranger to the TLC, where she previously worked as the deputy commissioner and made ‘historic strides,’ expanding ‘accessibility across our taxi fleet,” Mamdani told a press conference while introducing her at Laguardia Airport’s Terminal C Taxi Hold Lot.
New York Taxi Workers Alliance (NYTWA), a union comprised of the city’s 28,000 taxi and app-based drivers, today welcomed the new TLC chair.
“Chair Midori Valdivia previously served as TLC’s Deputy Commissioner of Finance and Administration, playing a vital role in increasing the number of wheelchair accessible vehicles in TLC’s fleet, supporting the agency’s first driver-pay study, and engaging with federal regulations to tamp down on predatory loans for small medallion holders,” according to the alliance’s social media post here today.
Valdivia served as the chief operating officer of the Coro New York Leadership Center, a civic leadership training organization, and held a previous gig as the senior advisor to the executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
She previously worked as an analyst and adviser for the Port Authority for six years before becoming a deputy commissioner of finance at TLC in 2015.
Over 200,000 TLC-licensed drivers are in the city, and they operate one million rides per day.